Theft proof lock assembly for coin operated machines



April 2, 1963 H. GREENWALD THEFT PROOF LOCK ASSEMBLY FOR COIN OPERATED MACHINES Filed Dec. 7, 1961 F llG. 5

FIG.7

FIG. 9

' INVENTOR. Harry 4Greenwald BY ATTORNEY FIG. 8

United States Patent O 3,633,563 THERE PRGF Li ASSEMBLY FR CGHI GPEFATIED I'v/ACFIJES Harry Grecav/aid, Whitestone, NE., assigner to Green- '.vaid Associates, comprising Harry Greene/aid, Louis Woi and Harry Siiherglait, Erooiriyn, N .11., a partnersin` p Fied Dec. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 157,717

Ciaims. (Ci. 7b-417) This invention relates in general to a theft proof lock assembly and more specifically to a theft proof lock assembly `for use in a door permitting access to the coin receptacle of a coin operated machine or the like.

Coin operated machines, as for example, various food or beverage vending machines, juke boxes, telephones, coin operated automatic washers, parking meters and various other publically disposed coin operated machines are for the most part left unattended. Therefore, by the very nature of their use such coin operated machines are vulnerable to acts of vandalism and burglary.

Heretofore, experience has shown that unauthorized access to the coin ybox of such coin operated machines was had by forcing or destroying the lock either by drill ing or hammering. Because the locks on such machines were generally exposed, a would-be thief had easy access thereto and therefore could readily apply the tools of his trade to force tne lock. With the lock thus incapacitated the thief would then have easy access to the coin box. Consequently, thousands of dollars each year are lost as the result of acts of vandalism and burglary.

rTherefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel theft proof lock assembly constructed and arranged so as to deter unauthorized access or forcing of the lock to the coin box of a coin operated machine by either drilling or hammering.

It is another object of this invention to provide a theft proof lock assembly that is relatively simple in construction, relatively inexpensive to fabricate, and positive in operation.

In accordance `with this invention the above objects and other features and advantages are attained by spacing the face of the lock 4from the door on which it is carried and which permits access to the coin box and interposing between the face of the lock and the door a protecting slip disc that is mounted so as to be freely rotatable relative to the door and the lock, the slip disc having a key hole sufiiciently large to receive the key only. The arrangement is such that in the event a would-tbe-thief applies a drill to the lock in an eifort to drill therethrough, the drill bit would have to rst engage with the slip disc. The slip disc or washer being freely rotatable would then rotate upon the actuation of the drill. As a result the drilling is rendered useless because the slip Washer protecting the face of the lock would rotate with the drill. In this manner damage to the llock by drilling is virtually eliminated. Also, in accordance with this invention it is preferred that the slip disc or lwasher be made of hardened steel to withstand the impact of direct hammering. In this manner the lock is protected lfrom injury or damage from both drilling and hammering. Other features and advantages will be apparent when considered in View of the speciiication and the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a schematic plan view of a typical door assembly embodying the instant invention in a coin operated machine;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary `front elevation view of a door assembly having a portion lbroken away to illustrate the theft proof lock assembly of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the improved lock proof assembly of this invention;

message FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the spacer block detail of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the lock support plate detail;

FIG. 7 is a side View of FIG. 6;

FIG. S is a detail front View of the slip Washer of this invention; and

FIG. 9 is a side view of FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1 a wall portion 1G of a typical coin operated machine to which there is pivotally connected a door 11 by which access is had to the coin box or receptacle of the machine. In accordance with this invention the door 11 is provided with a small aperture 12 that extends therethrough. In axial alignment with the aperture 12 there is disposed a suitable key actuated lock or its equivalent 13 by which the door 11 is locked. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a conventional tumbler type lock 13 is illustrated. As shown the lock 13 is extended through an aperture 14 formed in a lock support plate 15 and the lock 13 being secured thereto by a lock nut 1'6. Accordingly, the lock support plate 15 is spaced from the door 11 by means of a spacer block 17.

In this invention the spacer block 17 is provided with a hole 13 therein, the spacer block hole 118 having a diameter larger than that of the face 13A of the lock 13. 'Thus the holle 18 circumscribes the face 13A of the lock 13. The thickness of the spacer block 17 is such that the face 13A of the lock 13 is spaced from the inner surface of the door 11. Suitable fasteners 19' such as stove bolts, secure the yspacer block 17 and lock support plate 15 to the door 11.

In accordance with this invention a slip washer or disc 2) is disposed between the door 11 and the face 13A of the lock 13. As shown in FIG. 3 the dimension of the washer 26 is such that it is slightly `spaced from the face 13A of the lock 13, and it has a diameter slightly smaller than that or" the hole 1S in the spacer plate 17. Therefore, it will be noted that the slip washer 20 is rendered loosely mounted in the hole 18 of the spacer plate 17 and is therefore free to be rotated therein` As seen, in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9 the slip washer 2i) is provided with an elongated slot 21 which is just large enough to receive the ilat portion of the key 22. As seen in FIG. 3, the aperture 12 in the door 11, the slot 21 of the slip washer 2i?, and the hole 1S in the spacer plate 17 are each disposed -in axial alignment so as to permit a key 22 to be inserted into lock 13.

As shown, the lock 13 has a shaft 13B extending to the rear thereof to which there is connected a cam 13C rotatable between operative and inoperative positions upon the turn of the key 22. `Vith the cam rotated to operative condition, as seen in FIG. 1, the door v11 is locked. Upon insertion of the key 22 and rotating the key within the lock 13, the cam 13C is rotated out of engagement with the wall of the machine and thereby permitting the door to swing open about its hinge 23.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that in the event one attempts to drill out the face 13A, the drill bit must be placed against the slip washer 20. Because the slip washer 20 is freely rotatable within the hole 18 of the 'spacer block 17, it will be apparent that upon actuation of the drill, the rotation of the drill bit will effect rotation of the slip washer 2t?. Consequently, action of the drill is nullied and damage to the face 13A of the lock 13 is thereby prevented. Also because the slip washer 2&1 is made of hardened steel it will resist hammering impacts which would otherwise break or force the lock 13. Therefore it will be readily noted that with the construction described the two most common and effective means for breaking and entering into the coin box of a coin operated machine, i.e. lay/drilling or hammering, are virtually nullied. The described structure is relatively simple and positive in operation, vand can be readily incorporated into existing machines `at a minimum Vof expense. 1 A Y Y While the instant invention has been disclosed with reference to a particular embodimentI thereof, itris'vto be appreciated that the invention is not to bevtaken as limited Vto all of the details thereof as ymodifications and variationsthereof may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Y

What is claimed is: l 1. .'For use in a'coin operated vending machine or th like, an improved theft proof' lock assembly comprising a door having an aperture, a lock support plate, a lock supported in said plate, and aspacer -block disposed between said support plate and said door for spacingsaid lock from said idoor in axial alignment with the aperture therein, means for connecting said spacer and lock support plate to said door, said spacer having a hole extended therethrough in alignment with said aperture, and a hard metallic slip Washer having a diameter smaller than the hole of said -spacer disposed within the hole in said spacer between said lock andfdoor, and said washer beingloosely retained therein so as to render it freely rotatable to protect said lock from being drilled. y

2. For use in a coin operated vending machine or the like, an improved theft proof lock assembly comprising a door having an aperture, a lock support plate, a lock supported by said plate, a spacer .block disposed between said support plate and said door for spacingT said lock from said door in axial alignment with the aperture ini said door, said spacer having aY hole extended therethrough inY lalignment with said aperture, means for connecting said spacer and lock support plate -to said door, and ahard metallic slip washer having a diameter smaller than the hole in said spacer, said Washer being disposed within the hole of said spacer betweenv said lock and door, said |Washer having a slottherein just large enough to recvo `a 'key and said'was'her being loosely retained 40 to prevent drilling out ofsaid lock.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said Washer is made of hardened steel. K

4. A theft proof lock assembly comprising a door having an aperture therein, a vlock support plate Vhaving a lock hole therein, a lock extended through said lock hole, a lock nut threaded to said lock for securing the same to said supp0rt'plate, said lock having a laterally extending face portion adapted to abut against said support plate, a spacer block of suflcient thickness for spacing' said lock from said door in axial alignment with the aperture in said door, said spacer having a hole for accommodating the face of said lock, means for connecting said spacer and lock plate to said door, and hardened metallic slip washer disposed within the hole in said spacer between said doorand said lock, said washernbeing sized so as to render it freely rotatable relative said door and lock, and said Washer having a key holelsuiiiciently large to receive a key only, said hole being susbtantially rectangular and sized to the size and shape of the key for opening said lock.

5. .For use in a coin operated vending machine or the like, an improved theft proof lock assembly comprising a closure means having a key access opening therein, a

lock, means supporting. said lock on said closure means so that the face of said lock is spaced from said closure means, and in alignment with said opening therein, and a hard metallic'slip means disposed in the space betweenV said closure means and the -face of said lock for shielding the face of said lock, and means for loosely confining said slip means in position in said space so as to render it freely rotatable therein to protect said lock from beingV drilled.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED VSTATES PATENTS 

1. FOR USE IN A COIN OPERATED VENDING MACHINE OR THE LIKE, AN IMPROVED THEFT PROOF LOCK ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A DOOR HAVING AN APERTURE, A LOCK SUPPORT PLATE, A LOCK SUPPORTED IN SAID PLATE, AND A SPACER BLOCK DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT PLATE AND SAID DOOR FOR SPACING SAID LOCK FROM SAID DOOR IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE APERTURE THEREIN, MEANS FOR CONNECTING SAID SPACER AND LOCK SUPPORT PLATE TO SAID DOOR, SAID SPACER HAVING A HOLE EXTENDED THERETHROUGH IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID APERTURE, AND A HARD METALLIC SLIP WASHER HAVING A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE HOLE OF SAID SPACER DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOLE IN SAID SPACER BETWEEN SAID LOCK AND DOOR, AND SAID WASHER BEING LOOSELY RETAINED THEREIN SO AS TO RENDER IT FREELY ROTATABLE TO PROTECT SAID LOCK FROM BEING DRILLED. 